Should Have Been Mine
by kimi-hime-chan
Summary: There were many things that he regretted in his life, but he doubted any of them could ever hope to compare. He should never have let her go. No Magic AU Gruvia/Lyvia


The first time they met, she was performing onstage - the grand spotlights illuminating the curly blue tresses that she held in a neat bun atop her head. He thought she was the most enchanting dancer he had ever seen. She saw him in the crowd of thousands and thought herself enraptured by his dark, hypnotizing eyes.

When he asked her out for coffee at a nearby café after the performance, she, shell-shocked that he would ask, responded with a shy 'yes'. They spent the night talking, finding out each other's quirks and loving them.

He thinks her to be interesting.

She finds herself a reason to smile.

They met again and again and fall in love, maybe she a little bit more so than him. Maybe it was because of her dreadful childhood that she held on so desperately for any spark of hope for happiness - not that he ever actually knew that. They became happy, and everything else followed.

He thought of her as someone to protect.

She thought him someone to chase her eternal rain away.

It was slow at first, but eventually he got sick of her; how clingy she was, how embarrassing she could get, and how jealous and sensitive she acted. He, however, on his part, didn't mention anything until he reached his melting point. It was on their anniversary, when one more –nearly destructive- act of jealousy bade him to act. In front of everyone, holding his distressed blonde friend, he told her to leave, to stop, and to never see him again. Stunned silent, she left the room without another word, the key to their apartment left on his doorstep the next morning, with a simple "Sorry" written on the card attached.

She felt more and more insecure every passing day. Her love never showed her, clearly, at least, that he loved her as much as she loved him. Every day, she would wonder if there was another woman he cared for, or if by some chance he would get sick of her the minute she put her guard down. She didn't realize until it was too late that her insecurities had, instead, driven him away. She took all the memories they had and burned it to the ground. The rain never stopped pouring after that.

He thought he could have handled it a bit better.

She felt broken.

He hasn't seen her in a while, or even had the slightest contact with her. Which was good, he supposed. All that time he was with her and her insanity; he had been waiting for this… right? Nothing in this world was holding him back anymore… Then why was he still clutching his phone like a lifeline?

She avoided him as much as possible, respecting his wishes to never see her again. She stayed with the black-haired man she called a brother some towns away. His crimson eyes screamed at her to let him kill the one who broke her heart, but she couldn't bring herself to. It was her fault, she reasoned, and she should deal with the fact that she had chased the one she loved away.

He was confused.

She was dying inside.

A few months after that, he started to date the beautiful brunette that he called his friend. It was fun, for a while. But he never understood why her intoxicated smiles never made his heart stop, or why her fun, drunken actions never made him laugh in the slightest. He guessed that she just had a lot to measure up to.

She was doing a favor for a pink-haired friend when she met him. This time, instead of dancing alone on a stark black stage, she was in a dazzling blue ball gown singing for her friend's birthday. After her last note was sung, rather brilliantly, one might add, he immediately made his way to her side and pleaded for a dance. She took one look at the white-haired stranger decided to take his hand.

He started to regret.

She started to heal.

He found an old picture of them as he was cleaning up one day, one that he supposed she forgot to take with her when he told her to get out of his life. He looked closely at his own smile in the photograph and wondered when was the last time he was that happy.

She warned him that he would get sick of her, that he would leave her broken like the last man who held her heart. He smiled gently, held her hands, and swore on his life that he would never stop loving her. She cried and held him tight that night, fearing that her last hope would slip away if she didn't. The rain stopped once more.

He missed her more and more.

She learned to trust love again.

His friends started to worry, even the more oblivious ones. They told him that he hasn't been the same since the infamous break-up with the girl they were also fond of. They told him to search for her, to try to contact her, because if anyone's love story could work out, it was theirs. He believed them.

She woke up one day to find the most precious thing left accidentally on their dresser, almost immediately before her love, red and stuttering, grabbed it from her hands and tried to hide it as best he could. In between her melodious laughs, he could barely hear the word 'Yes'.

He was filled with resolve.

She couldn't be more content.

He was just about to search for her when an invite was slipped under his door. Curious, he looked at the name of his brother's bride and felt his heart shatter.

She saw the blonde-haired socialite just as the latter passed by the bridal store. Waving happily, the bluenette rushed out, gown gleaming, and handed an invite to her shocked friend. As she was ushered back by her soon-to-be sisters-in-law, she failed to see the look of despair upon the blonde's face when she realized it was already too late.

He decided to go, out of respect for his brother.

She never looked back.

The wedding wasn't too extravagant, he supposed, as he stood beside the nervous groom-to-be, but nowhere near plain either. Between his extravagant sisters and _her_, they managed to pull off a beautiful Snow-and-Water themed wedding that all the other guests claimed suited them perfectly. The ice sculptor couldn't help but feel that this would have been his, if he hadn't made the worst mistake of his life.

Everything was going according to plan. All the invitees were here, the decorations were hung, the dress was ready, the bridesmaids and best men were selected, and everyone was happy for them. She wasn't nervous or doubtful, but rather, excited that she would finally, _finally,_ get her happy ending with a man that she truly loved.

This should have been his.

She was ready for the rest of her life.

As soon as the wedding march started, he snapped his head to look down the aisle, where he saw the most breathtaking thing in his entire life. Her beautiful oceanic hair cascaded down in ethereal waves, adorned with a light veil with white pearls. Her dress was stunning to say the least, trimmed with white lace and glowing with shimmering diamonds and sapphires. Lead down the aisle by a man of glaring crimson eyes (ones that tried to burn him at a glance), she looked like a fairy tale princess come to life. And he was not the prince.

Nothing mattered to her beyond the man at the altar, the man who chased away the fear of being alone, the fear of never being good enough. She lightly acknowledged the man beside him, the one who broke her heart. Her prince never knew their history, nor will she ever tell him, lest he asked. She still loved him, yes, but he never showed that he loved her. And at this moment, she decided to finally, finally let him go.

He wished for another chance.

She finally gave her heart away.

When it was time for them to kiss, he turned away, the jealousy almost physically making him sick. He caught sight of his friends' pitying eyes on him and closed his eyes. He couldn't take that either.

When they kissed, her soul felt free. Never again would she be alone, crying for company or someone to talk to. Her white haired prince saved her, and he would never leave her side.

She was finally happy.

He shouldn't have let her go.


End file.
